Match-box.



C. MITSGHEUNIG. MATCH BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 21. 1900.

H0 MODEL.

PATBNTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

2 SHEETS-r-SHBBT 1- No. 738,343. I PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

' G. MITSOHEUNIG.

MATCH ox. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1900. N MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.14 Fig/5 1 19.16

M 4 C a 5 s 27 30 a0 30 H [g 1.9 f 29 a e 9 UNITED STATES Iatented September 8, 1903 CARLO MITSOIIEUNIG, OF ROME, ITALY.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,343, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed February 21, 1900. Serial No. 6.042. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CARLO MITsoHEUNIG, architect, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Rome, Italy, Whose post-office address is 9 Via Due Macelli, Rome, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Match-Boxes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will .enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a matchbox made of anysuitable material, which presents on opening a drawer either a lighted or unlighted match, according to requirements. The apparatus is constructed mainly of four parts forming its constitutional elements and is of the dimensions of an ordinary matchbox, the said parts being formed by stamping directly from a blank of any material-such as tinned sheet-iron, forinstance-the parts being formed in such a manner that they can be put together Without the need of soldering, and the little automatic apparatus thus constructed can be produced, including a cardboard envelop or case with pictures or advertisements, at a very small cost.

In the annexed drawings, Figures 1 to 27 are plan and perspective views of the four parts forming the constitutional elements of the match-box in their successive stages of manufacture.

The four component parts are the drawer, a distributing-arm, the frame or box, and the movable front wall with a friction or striking surface.

The drawer, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists mainly of a lower part or bottom a and an extension or tongue I), which is bent back parallel to and above the bottom. The latter is provided at the back with projections l to serve for pushing the matches forward.- Parallel sides 0 d are formed to prevent the matches from falling below the movable side before the opportune moment and to prevent more than one match from falling at a time through the space formed between the movable side and the fore part of the slit floor of the box or frame onto the bottom of the drawer. At the fore part of the drawer the tongue I) is bent upward and backward parallel to the bottom and is out at the bent portions to form a small scoop e, which is bent downward, then backward, parallel with the tongue I]. The front part of the bottom is provided with a handle or projection 3, bent downward for the purpose of opening the drawer. Of the two side walls one, o, is provided with a flange 4, which as the drawer is pulled out slides against the under side of the box, and this serves as a guide. In an opening 5 in the one side, 0, is arranged a pivot 6, around which the distributing-arm f is intended to turn. On the other side, d, two parts 7 and 8 are bent upward, and in the part 7 there is an opening q, intended to receive the edge 51 of the distributing-arm f, Fig. 3, whenever the latter has arrived at the end of its evolution. The side 8 slides, when the drawer is pulled out, against the lateral inner side 41 of the friction device or nose 40 of the oscillating front It and (Fig. 9) against the inner edge of the friction-surface 37 of the frame, thus serving as a guide. Au orifice or opening 10 is made in the side d, through which the match is pushed out by the arm f. The principal guides of the drawer are two bends 11 and 12, Figs. 1 and 2, at its rear end, which slide along the lower edges of the lateral sides 28 29 of the frame. A portion 13 of the blank is turned up to stiffen the parts against being bent.

The distributing-arm f, Figs. 3 and 4, in tended to push the matches outward, consists at its rear part of an ear 14, provided with a hole 15, adapted to receive the pivot 6 of the side 0, Fig. 2, of the drawer, on which the armfturns whenever the drawer is pulled out. At the rear end of the arm opposite to the eaul t is a projection or abutment 16, suitably stiffened by bends 17. The slanting inner side of this projection strikes against a vertically-arranged plate 33 of the frame at the moment of opening the drawer and acts in such manner that when the drawer is pulled out the arm f swings toward the side (1. The forward end or head of the arm forms, by means of bends 18 19 2O 21, a chamber intended to receive the foot end of a match and to push the latter through the opening 10 as it swings in the corresponding direction. In order to cover the foot end of the match 2'. a, to fix it in tho chamber-21. small cover 23, Figs. 5 and 6, slides in a horizontal plane at the side of said chamber. As the drawer is pulled outward a projection or point 24 on the cover 23 enters into a hole 43 of the resilient band or plate 42 of the front h, where it is retained up to the end of pulling the drawer out, so as to push the cover 23 over the chamber, while when the drawer is pushed back again the cover retires in a similar man ner and is prevented from sliding off the plane by means of an edge or flange 25, and when the drawer is so pushed out the point 24 of the cover 23, owing to its inclined outline, again catches in the opening 43, which holds it so as to uncover the chamber in the arm f, so that it may receive the foot of the downfalling match. As the match is pushed forward by the arm a finger 26 places itself over the foot end of the match, so as to pre Vent it from passing out laterally from the chamber. It will be noted that the point 24 of the cover 23 is disengaged from the opening 43 by the slight raising of" the front 72 at the moment the head of the match is passing over the surface 40 and the cover 23 remains over the chamber (of arm f) containing the "foot of the match when the armf pushes the match out of the opening 10. The side of the vertical guide 27 of the armfon pulling the drawer out grazes against the vertical plate 33. Its upper edge is slantingand is reduced to such an extent toward the front part that the edge 51 of the arm enters the opening q in the side as the arm oscillates. The arm may besimplified as regards construction, as will be described hereunder with reference to Fig. 15.

The frame or box Figs. 7 and 8, consists principally of two high lateral sides 28 29, representing the total length and height of the match-box, and of a bottom provided with slits 30, through which the points 1 1 1 of the slide or drawer extend upward. The back wall 31 of the match-box instead of being directly bent upward at right angles to the bottom isprovided with an inclined or curved surface 32 at the joint or bend, intended to cause the matches to roll back into the box and prevent them from being blocked or jammed at the back of the box. A verticallyarranged plate 33 serves as an abutment or stop to the projection of the arm fand causes the latter to swing against the side and forces it to place itself with its edge 51 in the opening (1 as the drawer is drawn out. Perforations 34 34 in the lateral sides 28 29 are made to receive the pivots 35 35, on which the fronth turns, while notches 36 36-receive an elastic ring of india-rubber 39, Fig, 10, which serves to press the front 72, or rather its friction-nose 40', against the friction-surface 37 of the frame in such a manner that as the head of a match passes between these two friction-surfaces sufficiently strong pres sure should be exercised to ignite the match, but not sufficiently strong to prevent the passage of the head of the match'between has been stated before, with its pivots 35 35 in the holes 34 34 of the lateral sides of the frame. It is provided on its vertical wall with notches 38 38 for receiving and holding the elastic band 39, and part of it toward one side or end is bent and forms the lower friction-nose 40, the lateral upwardly-bent portions 41 of which serve to strengthen it, and thereby protects it against injury to which it is exposed owing to its continual use. A further portion 42 is bent up at the other side and provided with a hole 43, which en gages in the manner above described with the point 24 of the cover 23, Figs. 5 and 6, in such a manner as to close the coverwhen the drawer is opened and to reopen it during the return movement of the drawer. This plate 42 is slightly bent upward at its front 44, so as to present an inclined plane, which facilitates the entering of the point 24 into the hole 43 and itsleaving the hole again as the drawer is returned. One side 45 is bent up in order to stiffen or strengthen the plate against llljluy or bending. The longitudinal slits 46 and 47 of the front It serve as passages when the parts of the apparatus are put together for the tongue 29 and the scoope c of the drawer, respectively.

-The four parts above described form the constituent parts of the box and are assembled by introducing the ear 14 of the distributing-arm'f into the corresponding opening 5 of the drawer, Figs. 1 and 2, so that the pivot 6 will pass through the hole 15 of the disk. In this manner the arm f rests with its lower surface on the bottom at of the drawer. Then the front h is placed in position by introducing its pivots 35 35 into the holes 34 34 of the sides 28 29 of the frame, Figs. 7 and 8, and elastically connecting it with the frame by passing a small rubber ring 39, Fig. 10, around the notches 36 36 of the side and the notches 38 38 of the frame. Finally the drawer a b is placed in position by passing its points 1 1 1 through the slits 30 3O 30 in the bottom, the tongue I) through the slit 46 in the front It, and the scoop 6, parallel to the latter, through the other slit, 47, in the front h.

The whole box so arranged is then placed in a co'veringor case of cardboard, wood, celluloid, or anyother suitable material, Fig. 11. A sliding lid Z may be introduced between two plates 71 and 70, forming the top and having theircentral parts cut away, and the matches are introduced into the box formed by the sides 28 29 31 and the slit floor g in such a manner that they lie transversely as regards its longitudinal axis-4'. 6., to the direction in which the drawer is pulledso that the heads of the matches are turned toward the side 28 of the box. It will be llO advantageous to provide a box with a shielding-frame m, Fig. 12, the forward side of which will hold the apparatus in its fragile envelop.

If it is desired to manufacture such boxes of a better quality, the envelop may be made entirely of metal, (nickel, silver, or the like.) In such case the lateral sides 28 29 of the frame may be replaced by the sides 49 50 of the metal casing, Fig. 13.

The operation of the box is as follows: As the drawer a b is pulled out the points 1 1 1, which penetrate through the slits 30 30 30 in the bottom, push the lower layer of matches forward,where one of them falls into the space formed by the front It and the projection 33,

which space corresponds in length and width to the side and shape of one of the matches for which the match-box is intended. In this tongue b enters the heap of matches and evenly arranges the layers, while the scoop e pushes back any matches which may have been heaped on the one that has fallen intothe said space, and thus covers the latter and separates the match therein from the other matches. By continuing to push back the drawer until it is fully in the match will fall onto the bottom a of the drawer, since the side strips 0 61 do not extend the full distance, with its head in the opening 10, while its foot lies in the chamber 18 19 2O 21 of the distributing-arm f. On again pulling out the drawer fully the nose 16 of the arm toward the end of the outward movement of the drawer strikes against the flange-plate 33 of the box, the distributing-arm sliding on the bottom a swings round its pivot 6 in such a manner that its head, with its chamber 18 19 2O 21 holding the foot end of the match, turns toward the side dand pushes the match through the opening 10 until at the end of the opening movement of the drawer the head of the arm fis completelyapplied against the opening 10, and the edge 51 is placed in the opening g of the side 01. In the meantime and precisely at the commencement of the opening of the drawer the hole 43 in the extension of the front It has caughtthe point 24, and thereby drawn the cover 23 on the chamber 18 19 2O 21, which holds the foot of the match. Almost at the same time the head of the match, passing through the opening 10, had been pushed along between the friction-surfaces 37 and 10, the latter of which had moved back yieldingly, the match being ignited just as it passes through the opening- 10. The match therefore remains thus held outside until it is consumed, its foot or end being retained between the finger 26 and the side of the opening 10; but when the drawer is pushed back the arm f recedes from the opening 10 and the end of the match, not being any longer held between the finger 26 and the side of the opening 10, falls to the ground.

From the above description it will be surmised that three movements are required in order to obtain an ignited matchnamely, first, pulling out the drawer; second, pushing it in, and, third, again pulling it out; but in practice there is only one movement required, and at each opening of the drawer a lighted match will be presented, for the simple reason that the movements first and second are always efiected by the previous operations-t'. a, when the previous match is being pushed outand ignited.

Ifit be required that the match leave the box automatically without being ignited, a small cord, fixed at 52 on the top of the front h and passing through a correspon ding hole of the after side of the casing, is pulled. ing the end of this cord wall h is drawn backward, owing to which its friction-surface 40 is lifted from the friction surface 37 of the frame 9. In this manner the head of the match which had fallen on the bottom a. ofthe drawer passes free between the two surfaces without having to be ignited.

When the casing is made entirely of metal, Fig. 13, this cord device may be replaced by a fixed button or projection 53 on the lateral edge of the front 71,, passing through a slit 54E of the acting on the front h, the latter being mounted by means of screws or pivots 56 in the side of the metal casing.

It has been previously stated that the construction of the arm f may be modified. In the construction seen in Fig. 15 the parts '16 and 17, which form theprojection or abutment, are suppressed, while the edge 27 is made to slant until past the disk 1 1-. This edge 27 is engaged in a slit 57, Fig. 16, of the extension 33 of the bottom g and is guided as the drawer is opened in this slit in such a manner that owing to the inclination of the edge the movement of the armfis effected evenly-- 6., without a shock such as is produced by a stop 16 meeting a counter-stop 33.

The frame 9 seen in Fig. 16 is somewhat like that seen in Fig. 7 and having a bottom g, sides 28 29,vslots 30 in the bottom, surface 32, and wall 31. In Fig. 16, however, the sides 28 29 are each provided with a slit and extension 33 with a slit 57.

To do away with the cover 23, Figs. 5 and Thus the chamber intended to hold the end of the match is formed by three surfaces 18 19 2O and tho bottom, as well as bythe sharp By thus pulledge of the plate 58, which firmly holds the end of the match, owing to the action of the arm, and prevents it from falling.

The arm f in Fig. 15 is provided with perforations 15 and finger'26, as in Fig. 3.

The last-described form of construction of the head of the arm becomes necessary if it is desired to construct the match-box in such a manner that the match should not be lighted except outside the box and on a frictionsurface 40, Fig. 10, sliding on the outer side of thecase,which friction device maybe moved forward by hand. In this case the forward part, which connects the horizontal parts a and b of the drawer, will be shortened, Fig. 14, as well as the forward ends of the sides 28 29 of the frame, Fig. 16, such shortening being necessary to allow the match to pass out freelythrough the opening 10 and rub against the surface 40 as the drawer is opened. It should be understood that in this form of construction the side extensions 42 and 42 of the front h are omitted, as being useless, the modified front 71 being provided with lugs and slits 59 59, Figs. 17 and 1S, engaging with slits 60 60 in the sides 28 29 of the box- 11. e., the front 72. is fixed.

If it should be desired that the matches be taken from the box by their foot end in such a manner that the match should ignite at the last moment of extraction, the distributingarm or pusher f and the friction devices 37 and 40 are left out and replaced in the following manner: The arm is replaced by a runner 'n, which slides along two guidingslots 61, Figs. 20 and 21, provided for that purpose in the bottom plate a of the drawer. This runner n receives the head of the match. As the draweris pulled out the runner,stopped by the fixed front H, is obliged by the guide 61 to move along the chamber formed by the scoop e, the bottom a, and the front end of the slotted plate g. The match then passes out end first through an opening of the plate 62, Figs. 24 and 25, and through a slit 63 of the flange 64 of the drawer. Toward the end of the outward movement of the drawer a friction-arm 69, Figs. 22 and 23, pivoted in bearings 65 and connected at 71 by an elastic cord 66 with a fixed support, is actuated as its flanged side slides along an inclined plane 68 of the side 64 and descends with its lower friction-surface on the head of the match, which at that moment lies on another friction-surface 40 The pressure which the friction-arm 6'7 exercises on the head of the match is sufficientto ignite the match as it is drawn out by its foot end. The

.same effect-2'. e., the ignition of the match The 20 to 25, made of paper, cardboard, or the like, by which this kind of match-box is covered, should preferably have a form in which the sides 72 73 replace the corresponding inner sides of the slit floor, Fig. 27, and a lid Z, Fig. 11, may be used.

What I claim is 1. Amatch-boxcomprisingincombination, a box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, means carried by the drawer adapted to engagewith and push the matches toward the front of the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through the opening in the drawer, a front for the box and means cooperating to effect the lighting ofa match when pushed laterally, as specified.

2. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, means carried by the drawer adapted to engage with and push the matches toward the front of the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through the opening in the drawer, a front for the box, a friction-surface arranged at the bottom of said front, and a friction-surface on the box and an elastic connection between the front and sides of the box, all arranged for cooperation as set forth.

3. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, means carried by the drawer adapted to engage with and push the matches toward the front of the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through the opening in the drawer, a stop on said arm, a counter-stop on the box against which the first stop is adapted to strike during the opening movement of the drawer, a front for the box and means cooperating to effect the lighting of a match when pushed laterally, as described.

4. Amatch-boxcomprisingincombination, a box, having a bottom provided with slots, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, projections on the drawer projecting through the said slots into the interior of the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through the opening in the drawer, a front for the box, a friction-surface on said front and a friction-surface on the box and an elastic connection between the front and sides of the box, all adapted for co'jperation as set forth.

5. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, having a bottom provided with slots, a front for the box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer,

a friction-surface on the said front and a friction-surface on the box and an elastic connection between the front and the sides of the box, all adapted for cooperation as set forth.

6. Amatch-boxcomprisingin combination, a box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, means carried by the drawer adapted to engage with and push the matches toward the front of the box, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through the opening in the drawer, a front pivoted to the sides of the box, means for tilting the front, and friction-surfaces arranged to cooperate to effect the lighting of a match when the same is pushed laterally, .as described.

7. Amatch-boxcomprisingin combination, a box, a drawer having a side opening and adapted to slide in the box, a pivoted distributing-arm having a stop, a stop on the box against which the first-mentioned stop is adapted to strike during the opening movement of the drawer, a finger on the distributing-arm adapted to engage one end of a match, a front for the box, and friction surfaces on the said front and box and an elastic connection between the front and sides of the box.

8. Amatch-box comprisingin combination, a box, a drawer adapted to slide therein, a front for the box and a pointed tongue adapted during the closing movement of the drawer to pass through a horizontal slot in the front of the box and into the matches therein, for

the purpose set forth.

9. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer adapted to slide therein, a front for the box, a pointed tongue adapted during the closing movement of the drawer to pass through a horizontal slot in the box and into the matches therein, a scoop carried by the drawer and arranged below the tongue and adapted during the closing movement of the drawer to enter a horizontal slot in the front of the box and push back the matches lying upon the scoop, whereby to isolate a match which is to be withdrawn from the box.

10. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer adapted to slide in the box, a front pivoted in the sides of the box, an elastic connection between the front and the sides of the box, a friction-surface on the said front, a pivoted distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and to push a match laterally through an opening in the drawer, and a friction-surface on the box adapted to cooperate with the friction-surface on the front, for the purpose specified.

11. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer adapted to slide in said box, apivoted front, an elastic connection between the front and the sides of the box, a friction-surface on the said front, a cord con: nected with the upper part of the' front and passing out through the back of the box whereby to raise the friction-surface on the front from the head of a match and allow the same to pass out without being ignited, a distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated and to push laterally a match during the opening movement of the drawer, and a friction-surface on the box adapted to cooperate with the friction-surface on the front in the manner do scribed.

12. A match-box comprising in combination, a box, a drawer arranged to slide therein, a distributing-arm adapted to be oscillated during the opening movement of the drawer and being constructed at its front end to form a chamber, and having a cover for said chamber, an upwardly-extendingprojection, a front for the box, and a plate projecting from said front and having an opening into which said projection is adapted to enter.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CARLO MITSCHEUNIG.

Witnesses:-

A. RAZZI, A. MANGANO. 

